Primary cell



P. B. HYDE.

PRIMARY CELL.

APPLJCATION FILED MAR. 18, 1919.

1 ,369,81 3, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

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Fuel 6 I 16 FIG 6 ,9 4 V 4 PM 5.

. BY F| 6. 8 v Qrrog zzy .UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

PARK B. HYDE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

' PRIMARY oEtn.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARK B. HYDE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Primary Cell, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in voltaic or primary cells, more part1cularl to a primary cell employing a caustlc alk a 1 as an electrolyte and a metal such as z 1nc for the positive electrode and a depolarizer such as cupric oxid in contact with the negative electrode. 7

My principal object is the production of a cell of the type stated which may be constructed at a cost such that I may successthe few well established makers of cells ofthe type stated. The cell although constructed at low cost is intended to possess the more important desirable characteristics of the cells now being placed on the market by the few well established makers of cells of the type stated.

Another object of my invention is the production of a cell of the type specified in which the elements will be suspended by a single suspension bolt or like device and in which a metallic connector will be held in contact with the positive element by the same means which are employed to maintain the positive and negative electrodes in fixed relation.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the combina tions, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated a preferred physical embodiment of my invention, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the assembled elements of a primary cell as con-. structed by me; Fig. 2, is a side elevational view of the device as shown by ,Fig. 1 viewed from the left hand side of the device, as shown by Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is an enlarged per- I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 1, 1921, Application'filed March 18, 1919. Serial No. 288,874.

spective view of an insulator used in the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, is an enlarged perspective VIEW. of a reinforcing means used in connection w th the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, 1s a perspective view of a container closure used in connection with the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional detail of the end joint of a container used in connection with the device of Fig. 1; F1g. 7, 1s an enlarged cross sectional detail of the bottom joint of a container used in connection with the device of Fig.1; Fig. 8, 1s an enlarged detail illustrating the appearance of the metal of a container used in connection with the device of Fig. 1, after it has been acted upon in accordance with the method I have in mind.

The assembled elements consist generally of two zincs 1 and 2, and the metallic perforated container 4 positioned therebetween and filled with cupric oxid, both elements being supported from the cover 5 of a jar, not shown, by the bolt 6.

As is well understood the cell includes a jar, not shown, of some sort'filled with an electrolyte preferably a caustic alkali such as sodium hydrate dissolved in water. The

top of the solution would correspond with the line S of Fig. 1 after the commonly used thin layer of mineral oil is poured thereon.

It has been customary to use in cells of the type stated either a -molded, highly com pressed body of cupric oxid or a metallic container filled with loose cupric oxid as a negative element.

The use of a molded body has certain disadvantages arising from the fact that its porosity is much less than desired. The use of a metallic container filled with loose cupric oxid gives the desired porosity in fact, more than is necessary but the conductivity is less than is desired.-

It has been proposed to tightly pack cupric oxid in a metallic container and then compress both container and oxid so as to form a comparatively thin body and then immerse in a binder and afterward heat so as to agglomerate. Such a body lacks porosity although structurally very strong and is especially adapted to a multiple plate cell which requires a very thin form of nega* tive element.

I proposed in a measure to overcome the disadvantages of the plate type and to obtain the advantages of the containertype of negative element without its most undesirable disadvantage.

Iemploy a container 4 which is in form 5 a thin rectangular-hollow prism. The walls of the prism, except the bottom, are formed of one piece of metal, preferably tin coated thin iron which is cut from a flat plate.

The metal either before or after being cut to size is perforated in any suitable or appropriate manner well known tothe sheet illustrates the inwardly pointing pro ec-;

tions of metal 9 formed by the process-of 20. perforation. After the metal is perforated 1t is bent so that the top, as viewed in Fig. 1, is integral with the sides and'en'ds. After bending, the edges of the plates meet along the center of each end and are joined after being suitably formed, as by crimping, as

' shown in Fi 6, in which the free edges are designated and 8. The edge 7 being formed so as to interlock with the edge 8 after it has been formed. After the edges 80 are interlocked they are pressed tightly together in any suitable manner well known in the sheet metal art, so as to remain in the position shown by Fig. 6.

The thin rectangular b 'x thus formed is put in an, suitable contEiner which will firmly an rigidly suppo; t its walls and cupric oxid is poured into the open end,

which I place uppermost. The cupric oxid I which I prefer to use must contain no par- 40 ticles so large that they will not pass through a sieve having twenty open spaces to the linear inch. While pouring in the cupric oxid I continually firmly compress the eupric oxid by any well known means, such asa reciprocating plunger. After completely filling the container the sheet metal piece 12, shown by Fig. 5 is inserted into the 0 en end of the container, as shown by Fig. 7 and then the ends 10 and 11 of the .50 container are forced down into the dotted line position by any suitable and appropriate means. The cupric oxid container is then withdrawn from the container and preferably coated with a very thin layer of melted parafiin or other solid or semisolid mineral wax or grease which is insoluble in the. electrolyte used but which will melt at the temperature developed by dissolving caustic alkali in water sufiicient to form, say about a twenty per cent. solution. A negative element constructed in the manner described, by reason of the compression of the cupric oxid, will have the required conductivity between particles and between the particles and the container, and

' tainer.

as an extremely thin container approximating a lateis not considered necessary porosity which would not be the case if the V container were too highly compressed.

Although I have stated that I coat the container with a mineral wax'or grease I desire to be understood as stating this merely for the purpose of explaining the very best form. It is true, however, that it 1s not absolutely' necessary to so coat the container because even without coating .it is safe to rely on the compactness of the cupric oxid and the projections 9 to retain the cupric oxid in the container and the coating serves no purpose other than to prevent waste of the cupric oxid during shipment of the cell. It is melted when the element is placed in the warm caustic alkali solution and rises to the top of the solution and forms a layer thereon of the same nature as the-layer of mineral oil that is customarily placed onthe solution to prevent the atmosphere from deleteriously affecting the solution. In the positive-electrode, the zincs, 1 an 2 are each-identical in form. They are substantially plates having a rib 13 extending completely around them at the edge, except where the ribs merge into the enlargements '14. The object of the ribs is to'provide a large amount of metal at. the points of greatest consumption, which is at the edges. The zincs are preferably united by, a hanger, 3, which is preferably of iron, cop

perplated and amalgamated with mercury which prevents local action. The hanger has two depending arms in each of which one or more holes 15, are formed. These holes serve to more securely attach the .hanger and .zincs to ether because the hanger is attached to the zinc by casting the molten zinc about the depending arms of the hanger and the hot metal running into the holes 15 serves as a very efiicient connection. The zinc is enlarged at the point of connection of the hanger both to provide mechanical strength and also to provide the necessary zinc at this point due to the fact thatthe consumption is greater-at this point.

The container 4 has a hole formed in its top through which the suspension bolt 6 is passed before filling the container with cupric oxid. As the metal of the container is quite-thin and therefore structurally weak a reinforcing strip, 16 Fig. 4 is placed between the head 17 of the bolt and the top of the con- An insulating member preferably porcelain, 17 is positioned on the rod 6 just above the container. This member has a groove 18 which is so formed that it snugly fits the hanger 3. It also is formed with a groove 19, into which the top of the container fits.

' 6 passing through These grooves serve to maintain the zines and container in fixed relation and the bolt the container top the member 17 and t e hanger 3 serves to support all of the parts.

As the bolt 6 iseof metal and electrically connected to the ne tive element it must be se arated electrica ly from the hanger 3. T is I accomplish by the pro]ect1on 26, in the form of a sleeve, formed referably integrally with the member 17. his sleeve also serves to prevent the metalhc insulated wire 21 from coming in contact Wlth the bolt 6, where it is bared and coiled about the sleeve 20.

Another insulating block 22, preferably of porcelain is positioned on the bolt 6 above the member 17 and the looped mm 21. This block serves to bind the loop of the wire 21 firmly in lace because a nut 23 is positioned on the b0 t 6 above this block and screwed down tightl thereagainst serving to bind all parts ti tly together and also serves as a means 0 abutment to position the elements with respect to the cover 5, of the jar, not shown. Above the cover 5 another nut, 24 is positioned on the screw threaded bolt 6 and being screwed down tightly against the cover causes the elements to be supported by the cover in fixed relation thereto.

The means which I employ to support and hold the elements in fixed relation to each other and the cover is composed of a very few easily constructed parts and of comparatively inexpensive. materials. Furthermore the assembling of them can be done by entirely unskilled labor without the use of jigs or fixtures of any kind, so that it is a very inexpensive form of construction, which is seen to be a most important consideration when it is considered that hundreds of thousands of these cells are consumed every year in the United States alone.

It is also to be observed that the nut 23 which serves to hold the elements in fixed relation also serves to bind the wire 21 against the positive element, composed of 1 and 2. This also simplifies the construction and results in a saving in expense. That is a single nut performs several functions. I desire to have it understood however if several nuts are used in place of nut 23 they are in effect a single nut, that is it might very well be that in order to space the elements a greater distance from the cover 5 or for other reasons several nuts identical with nut 23 might be used instead of a single nut having a depth equivalent to a plurality of nuts.

desire also to have it understood that I do not exclude by my description or claims the use of another nut above nut 24 to serve as the customary lock nut. Although I have throughout this specification described the container as formed of tin plated sheet iron and the filling as cupric oxid and the positive elements as of zinc, and the insulators as of porcelain, I desire to have it understood that my form of mechanical construction of the parts of my improved cell is not confined to the use of these particular materials, and I do not intend to exclude the use of other materials which are known to be appropriate and suitable for attaining the end desired.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physical embodiment and means on the rod for holding the metallic connector in contact with the positive element.

2. In a primary cell, in combination: a negative element; a positive element; a cell cover; a metallic connector for contact with the positive element; a single suspension rod for suspending said elements from the cell cover and means including a single nut on said suspension rod for holding said elements in fixed relation and electrically insulated one from the other and the metallic connector in contact with the positive element.

3. In primary cell, in combination: a negative element; a positive element; a metallic connector for contact with the positive element; a suspension rod formed with a screw thread; a metallic connector for contact with the positive element; a cell cover and means including a single nut on the rod above the cover and a single nut on the rod below the cover for holding the said elements in fixed relation and electrically insulated one from the other and the metallic connector in contact with the positive element and all parts suspended from the cover in fixed relation thereto.

4. In a primary cell, in combination: a.

negative element; a rod formed with a screw thread supporting said negative element; an insulating I member on said rod resting against said negative element on its lower face; a positive element resting on the upper face of said member; a metallic 'connector for contact with the positive element and means including a nut on the rod for holding the connector in contact with the positive element,

5. In a primary cell, in combination: a negative element; arod formed with a screw thread supporting said negative element; an insulating member on said rod formed with-ahole through which the rod passes member; a metallic connector surrounding the sleeve and means including a nut on the rod for holding the connector in contact with the positive element.

6. In a primary cell, in combination: a suspending bolt; a negative element supported by said bolt; a positive element; an insulating member formed with grooves positioned on said bolt positioning the negabeyond the portion of member ositioned on said bolt; and means to bind a l of the said parts firmly together in fixed relation;

7 In a primary cell, in combination: a bolt formed with a screw thread; a negative element;means for supporting the negative element by thebolt; a positive element; a

screw thread for cooperation with the screw thread of the bolt; means, cooperating with the nut for holding the negative and positive elements in fixed insulated relation and the metallic connector in electrical contact I with the positive element.

PARK B. Him.

metallic connector; a nut formed with a v 

